Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved Stirling engine system and more specifically to system for generating electrical power utilizing a Stirling compressor to provide heat transfer fluid to an improved Stirling engine generator to produce electrical power
Description of the Related Art
Currently, nearly fifty percent of the electricity consumed in the United States is generated by coal-fired power plants, which emit nearly 2,200 million metric tons of greenhouse gases yearly. Industrial concerns are the leading power consumer of electricity generated by coal. Industries consume nearly one-third of the electricity produced by coal, followed by residential power consumption at approximately twenty percent.
Producing power by burning coal is also disadvantageous in several other ways. Coal is not renewable, coal power generation requires millions of gallons of water for steam generators and cooling, and coal excavation often results in mountain-top removal and strip mining. These two mining techniques produce noxious wastewater that may spill into streams and other watercourses, thereby harming the environment. Many of these spills have proven catastrophic to the natural flora and fauna and surrounding communities.
Furthermore, producing electricity utilizing nuclear power provides many disadvantages as well. Nuclear waste disposal has become a contentious issue and as such, simply obtaining permits to build nuclear plants has become impossible. Additionally, nuclear plants, much like coal-fired plants, require enormous amounts of water to operate, and are also extremely expensive to build.